Drupal Ajax
A story of JavaScript in PHP
# DEMO TIME
# CHAPTER 2
Server
PHP server running Drupal
Ajax Engine
Drupal.Ajax + Drupal.AjaxCommands
Client side (browser) javascript library.
Application logic
Modules and Theme
Quick References
Drupal core
Ajax API
Client Side
API
JS
Server Side
API
PHP
Drupal core
Ajax API
Client Side
API
JS
Server Side
API
PHP
XMLHttpRequest
Animation
DOM
Session
Response
Callback
Server
Module generates Form definition (a PHP Array)
Server
Active theme converts form definition into HTML Markup
Server
Drupal serves the page with HTML Markup, Javascript Libraries and static assets
Browser
User Interacts with Page
A typical Ajax Workflow
Server
FORM API processes the form for ajax commands
Server
Drupal interprets the message and pass it to Module that handles it
Server
Module process the message and prepares appropriate AjaxResponse()
Browser
User Interacts with Page
Browser
Drupal.Ajax sends a message to server
Server
Module process the message and prepares appropriate AjaxResponse() (PHP code)
Server
Drupal converts AjaxResoponse commands into JSON output
Browser
Drupal.Ajax receives the JSON response form server
Browser
Drupal.Ajax calls appropriate Drupal.AjaxCommands
| Module generates Form definition (a PHP Array) | Module process the message and prepares appropriate AjaxResponse() |
| FORM API processes the form for ajax commands | Drupal converts AjaxResoponse commands into JSON output |
| Active theme converts form definition into HTML Markup | Drupal.Ajax receives the JSON response form server |
| Drupal serves the page with HTML Markup, Javascript Libraries and static assets | Drupal.Ajax calls appropriate Drupal.AjaxCommands |
| Drupal.Ajax sends a message to server | Drupal.AjaxCommands make changes to the DOM |
| Drupal interprets the message and pass it to Module that handles it |
| Module generates Form definition (a PHP Array) | Module process the message and prepares appropriate AjaxResponse() |
| FORM API processes the form for ajax commands | Drupal converts AjaxResoponse commands into JSON output |
| Active theme converts form definition into HTML Markup | Drupal.Ajax receives the JSON response form server |
| Drupal serves the page with HTML Markup, Javascript Libraries and static assets | Drupal.Ajax calls appropriate Drupal.AjaxCommands |
| Drupal.Ajax sends a message to server | Drupal.AjaxCommands make changes to the DOM |
| Drupal interprets the message and pass it to Module that handles it |
| Module generates Form definition (a PHP Array) | Module process the message and prepares appropriate AjaxResponse() |
<?php
namespace Drupal\ajax_example\Form;
use Drupal\Core\Form\FormBase;
use Drupal\Core\Form\FormStateInterface;
use Drupal\Core\Link;
/**
* Dynamically-enabled form with graceful no-JS degradation.
*
* Example of a form with portions dynamically enabled or disabled, but with
* graceful degradation in the case of no JavaScript.
*
* The idea here is that certain parts of the form don't need to be displayed
* unless a given option is selected, but then they should be displayed and
* configured.
*
* The third $no_js_use argument is strictly for demonstrating operation
* without JavaScript, without making the user/developer turn off JavaScript.
*/
class DynamicFormSections extends FormBase {
/**
* {@inheritdoc}
*/
public function getFormId() {
return 'ajax_example_dynamicsectiondegrades';
}
/**
* {@inheritdoc}
*/
public function buildForm(array $form, FormStateInterface $form_state, $nojs = NULL) {
// Add our CSS and tiny JS to hide things when they should be hidden.
$form['#attached']['library'][] = 'ajax_example/ajax_example.library';
// Explanatory text with helpful links.
$form['info'] = [
'#markup' =>
$this->t('<p>Like other examples in this module, this form has a path that
can be modified with /nojs to simulate its behavior without JavaScript.
</p><ul>
<li>@try_it_without_ajax</li>
<li>@try_it_with_ajax</li>
</ul>',
[
'@try_it_without_ajax' => Link::createFromRoute(
$this->t('Try it without AJAX'),
'ajax_example.dynamic_form_sections', ['nojs' => 'nojs'])
->toString(),
'@try_it_with_ajax' => Link::createFromRoute(
$this->t('Try it with AJAX'),
'ajax_example.dynamic_form_sections')
->toString(),
]
),
];
$form['question_type_select'] = [
// This is our select dropdown.
'#type' => 'select',
'#title' => $this->t('Question style'),
// We have a variety of form items you can use to get input from the user.
'#options' => [
'Choose question style' => 'Choose question style',
'Multiple Choice' => 'Multiple Choice',
'True/False' => 'True/False',
'Fill-in-the-blanks' => 'Fill-in-the-blanks',
],
// The #ajax section tells the AJAX system that whenever this dropdown
// emits an event, it should call the callback and put the resulting
// content into the wrapper we specify. The questions-fieldset-wrapper is
// defined below.
'#ajax' => [
'wrapper' => 'questions-fieldset-wrapper',
'callback' => '::promptCallback',
],
];
// The CSS for this module hides this next button if JS is enabled.
$form['question_type_submit'] = [
'#type' => 'submit',
'#value' => $this->t('Choose'),
'#attributes' => ['class' => ['ajax-example-inline']],
// No need to validate when submitting this.
'#limit_validation_errors' => [],
'#validate' => [],
];
// This section allows us to demonstrate no-AJAX use without turning off
// javascript in the browser.
if ($nojs != 'nojs') {
// Allow JavaScript to hide the choose button if we're using AJAX.
$form['question_type_submit']['#attributes']['class'][] = 'ajax-example-hide';
}
else {
// Remove #ajax from the above, so it won't perform AJAX behaviors.
unset($form['question_type_select']['#ajax']);
}
// This fieldset just serves as a container for the part of the form
// that gets rebuilt. It has a nice line around it so you can see it.
$form['questions_fieldset'] = [
'#type' => 'details',
'#title' => $this->t('Stuff will appear here'),
'#open' => TRUE,
// We set the ID of this fieldset to questions-fieldset-wrapper so the
// AJAX command can replace it.
'#attributes' => ['id' => 'questions-fieldset-wrapper'],
];
// When the AJAX request comes in, or when the user hit 'Submit' if there is
// no JavaScript, the form state will tell us what the user has selected
// from the dropdown. We can look at the value of the dropdown to determine
// which secondary form to display.
$question_type = $form_state->getValue('question_type_select');
if (!empty($question_type) && $question_type !== 'Choose question style') {
$form['questions_fieldset']['question'] = [
'#markup' => $this->t('Who was the first president of the U.S.?'),
];
// Build up a secondary form, based on the type of question the user
// chose.
switch ($question_type) {
case 'Multiple Choice':
$form['questions_fieldset']['question'] = [
'#type' => 'radios',
'#title' => $this->t('Who was the first president of the United States'),
'#options' => [
'George Bush' => 'George Bush',
'Adam McGuire' => 'Adam McGuire',
'Abraham Lincoln' => 'Abraham Lincoln',
'George Washington' => 'George Washington',
],
];
break;
case 'True/False':
$form['questions_fieldset']['question'] = [
'#type' => 'radios',
'#title' => $this->t('Was George Washington the first president of the United States?'),
'#options' => [
'George Washington' => 'True',
0 => 'False',
],
'#description' => $this->t('Click "True" if you think George Washington was the first president of the United States.'),
];
break;
case 'Fill-in-the-blanks':
$form['questions_fieldset']['question'] = [
'#type' => 'textfield',
'#title' => $this->t('Who was the first president of the United States'),
'#description' => $this->t('Please type the correct answer to the question.'),
];
break;
}
$form['questions_fieldset']['submit'] = [
'#type' => 'submit',
'#value' => $this->t('Submit your answer'),
];
}
return $form;
}
/**
* Final submit handler.
*
* Reports what values were finally set.
*/
public function submitForm(array &$form, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
$messenger = $this->messenger();
// This is only executed when a button is pressed, not when the AJAXfield
// select is changed.
// Now handle the case of the next, previous, and submit buttons.
// Only submit will result in actual submission, all others rebuild.
if ($form_state->getValue('question_type_submit') == 'Choose') {
$form_state->setValue('question_type_select', $form_state->getUserInput()['question_type_select']);
$form_state->setRebuild();
}
if ($form_state->getValue('submit') == 'Submit your answer') {
$form_state->setRebuild(FALSE);
$answer = $form_state->getValue('question');
// Special handling for the checkbox.
if ($answer == 1 && $form['questions_fieldset']['question']['#type'] == 'checkbox') {
$answer = $form['questions_fieldset']['question']['#title'];
}
if ($answer == $this->t('George Washington')) {
$messenger->addMessage($this->t('You got the right answer: @answer', ['@answer' => $answer]));
}
else {
$messenger->addMessage($this->t('Sorry, your answer (@answer) is wrong', ['@answer' => $answer]));
}
return;
}
// Sets the form to be rebuilt after processing.
$form_state->setRebuild();
}
/**
* Callback for the select element.
*
* Since the questions_fieldset part of the form has already been built during
* the AJAX request, we can return only that part of the form to the AJAX
* request, and it will insert that part into questions-fieldset-wrapper.
*
* @param array $form
* An associative array containing the structure of the form.
* @param \Drupal\Core\Form\FormStateInterface $form_state
* The current state of the form.
*
* @return array
* The form structure.
*/
public function promptCallback(array $form, FormStateInterface $form_state) {
return $form['questions_fieldset'];
}
}
# PRESENTING CODE
{#
/**
* @file
* Theme override for an 'input' #type form element.
*
* Available variables:
* - attributes: A list of HTML attributes for the input element.
* - children: Optional additional rendered elements.
*
* @see template_preprocess_input()
*/
#}
<input{{ attributes }} />{{ children }}
# PRESENTING CODE
{#
/**
* @file
* Theme override for a select element.
*
* Available variables:
* - attributes: HTML attributes for the <select> tag.
* - options: The <option> element children.
*
* @see template_preprocess_select()
*/
#}
{% spaceless %}
<select{{ attributes }}>
{% for option in options %}
{% if option.type == 'optgroup' %}
<optgroup label="{{ option.label }}">
{% for sub_option in option.options %}
<option value="{{ sub_option.value }}"{{ sub_option.selected ? ' selected="selected"' }}>{{ sub_option.label }}</option>
{% endfor %}
</optgroup>
{% elseif option.type == 'option' %}
<option value="{{ option.value }}"{{ option.selected ? ' selected="selected"' }}>{{ option.label }}</option>
{% endif %}
{% endfor %}
</select>
{% endspaceless %}
# PRESENTING CODE
AHAH!